Louis and Tawny 1: Talent Show
by tdls
Summary: The first in a series of post-series imaginations of Louis and Tawny's relationship. (Complete)
1. Chapter 1: Fresh Start

It was that time of year again – the beginning of the school year. Louis and Tawny were now entering ninth grade. For the first time ever, Louis felt he was actually looking forward to school starting. There was now an entire year ahead for his relationship with Tawny to take off, after they had gotten together toward the end of eighth grade and his summer had been spent mostly on that bogus vacation.

* * *

"Hi, Tawny," Louis greeted as always before first period. "Hi, Louis," Tawny greeted back, her smile mirroring his. It was a month into the new school year, a month into the new year of their relationship. Tawny couldn't help but think once more about how much Louis had changed during this time. He had, almost unthinkably, become more serious, more thoughtful, more mature. Of course, he still had his sense of humor, and his unrivaled ability to make her laugh. But he wasn't even playing the same pranks anymore, at least not of the same magnitude. Because the time he normally would have spent on his outlandish schemes were now devoted to her. And when they hanged out, Louis was eager to spend hours just sitting and talking. They just talked about life, mostly, but it was different from when they were just friends. Louis let her know how deeply he cared about her, wanting to know what was going on in her life, what she was thinking, what she found interesting. He took an interest in her poetry, reading through all her poems and asking her to teach him so that he might give it a try himself. It touched her how much he wanted to understand her and for their hearts to connect on a deeper level than before. Of course, she did the same for him in equal measure, but this hardly took a character adjustment for her. The relationship was truly changing Louis and, in a way, making him…more and more like her.

Tawny chuckled slightly at this thought as they walked through the hall in silence, their hands held. Principal Wexler stood at the entrance of his office, a cup of coffee in his hand. "Things have been quiet lately, Stevens," he called out with satisfaction as Louis and Tawny approached. "I suppose we have…the wonderful Miss Dean here to thank for that," the principal added as he glanced down at their interlocking hands. Louis paused briefly to look at him, returning a half-smile, before he and Tawny walked on. He normally would have had a snarky rejoinder at the ready, but just hearing the mention of his relationship with Tawny stopped him. The two of them had become a recognizable couple at school – a status that implicitly brought with it certain responsibilities. His reputation was now inextricably tied to Tawny's, and he loved and respected her too much to act like the school clown all the time. The least she deserved was a certain level of seriousness and maturity from him, he figured.


	2. Chapter 2: Lunch Conversation

"So," Louis started, as he and Tawny sat down at the lunch table. "I hear the sign-ups for this year's talent show are open."

Tawny smiled as she recalled the memories from last year's talent show, how Louis had completely missed the sign-up deadline, how he later tried to get her to do a comedy gig together. Just for a moment, she could feel a pang in her heart as she recalled how she walked away from Louis that day. "There's always next year, Louis," she had said…

Louis smiled, knowing all too well what Tawny was smiling about. "You know, I remember how you said back then, 'There's always next year, Louis.' Some things in life are like they're straight out of some movie script, aren't they?"

Tawny's smile widened as she looked down at her tray, trying to avoid Louis's playful eyes. She finally asked, her eyes now meeting his: "You remember every word we've ever said to each other, don't you?"

"Pretty much," Louis answered nonchalantly. He could practically read the words off the expression on her face. "You do too, don't you," he half-asked, already knowing the answer. Tawny nodded, her smile refusing to go away. How could the two of them be so different, yet their feelings for each other be so alike?

There were a few moments of silence. "So Louis," Tawny finally started. "Do you want to do something together for the talent show?"

"I would love to, Tawny," Louis began. "But I would love even more watching you shine on stage, just being yourself, without me getting in the way. You know how bad my poetry is." He paused, placing his hand gently over hers. "I… I love you so much just the way you are, Tawny. And nothing makes me happier than seeing you just the way you are."

Tawny looked deeply into his eyes. Ever since he had been changing, there were times when she didn't quite know what to say to him. She was now the center of his life, the source of his greatest possible happiness. It was a new feeling for her, being loved so passionately by someone. She knew she loved him just as much, of course, and she knew that he knew. But now, more than ever, she felt the need to assert it just as forcefully, to let him know just as clearly as he was doing.

"Louis," Tawny started. "It's so sweet of you. But I need you to know one thing. I love you so much, just as much, just the way you are. I loved you while you were still the class clown, and I will love you even if you keep it that way." She paused. "I know you're doing all this out of love, and I cherish it so much, but I also want you to be…free. Don't feel the compulsion to be a certain way just because of me. I don't want to get in the way of you being you, either." She smiled fondly.

Louis smiled back. "Thanks, Tawny," he just said. "I'll keep that in mind. But as for the talent show, I really insist… Nothing would make me happier than seeing you up there."

"Well then, I'll have to try especially hard to make it good," Tawny responded affectionately.


	3. Chapter 3: Confessions

Louis and Tawny were seated on a park bench. Tawny thought about the conversation they had at lunch and the thoughts that occupied her mind that morning. The more she thought about it, the more she understood that she herself was torn, between her happiness about how close they had become and her wish for Louis to be free. Of course, the two didn't have to be mutually exclusive. Louis's love for her was genuine beyond doubt. But she couldn't help but think that there was still an unknown at work – perhaps something that was burdening Louis, making him do certain things, possibly without his realizing it. She knew she had to dig deeper.

"Louis," she began. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you. And I'm not quite sure how to put it." She paused. "Are there any feelings you have about me that you haven't told me about?" She paused again, as the expression on his face turned into one of incomprehension. "I mean… Any feelings of, I don't know, guilt, or debt, or something like that?"

Louis looked down at the ground, not saying anything. Now his expression betrayed a sense of comprehension, but also an unwillingness to admit it. Tawny smiled at him, beginning to understand. She knew she had to help him bring it out into the open and as painlessly as possible. She placed her hand gently over Louis's.

"Louis," she said with affection. "You might not know this, but I've had the same feelings about you. Many times." The recollections flowed inside her head, including the one that had crossed her mind that morning. "All the times when I wasn't very good to you, when I walked away from you. Especially at the beginning, when you made it so clear from day one how fond you were of me, and I didn't do anything to reciprocate."

Louis just stared into her eyes, not knowing what to say.

She continued. "I think it's normal when two people love each other that they sometimes have feelings of remorse, of inadequacy, of guilt toward each other. And if that's the case, I think it's important to talk about it, to let it out into the open. Then you realize that it's a mutual feeling, and that you shouldn't let such feelings keep you down." She gave Louis another magnificent smile. Louis could feel the walls of his heart dissolving, the defenses keeping his feelings holed up melting away.

Louis's mind was still reeling from the initial shock. How could Tawny ever feel that she hadn't been good enough to him? He felt overwhelmed by a sense of incomprehension, even outrage at the thought. Yet Tawny's confession also had the intended effect: it forced him to come out with his own emotions, so that the wrongness of any sense of inadequacy she might have felt would not be allowed to stand.

"Tawny…" he began softly, shaking his head slightly. "I really don't know where to begin. There are just so many times I've wronged you…" He stopped as he met her reassuring eyes. They somehow had a cleansing effect on him, purging his feelings of guilt.

"…But I know it's okay. Thanks to you." He couldn't hold back the tears as Tawny took him in her arms. How could she be so wonderful, he thought to himself for the umpteenth time. A part of him wanted to think that his feelings of inadequacy were confirmed all the more by how right she had been, how she could be so understanding and forgiving – but these thoughts were swept away by her gentle hug and caressing touch.

Louis pulled back, looking fondly into Tawny's eyes. "When I thought we were moving to DC I was overwhelmed by this feeling that I was going to lose you, again. Just like that time you auditioned for SACCY. I thought about all those times when I was selfish and immature, when I acted like a jackass, when I did nothing but play pranks. All those times when I took you for granted." He paused. "And when we discovered our love for each other, I decided that I never wanted to lose you, ever. And that you deserved only the best of me. A more mature, more serious, more thoughtful me." Tawny smiled affectionately as the pieces now fit together.

"And I still think that way, Tawny. It's the least I can do to be worthy of you. I genuinely want to be closer to you, and if that means changing myself, then so be it."

Tawny kept her silence as the expression on Louis's face told her that he wasn't quite finished.

"But I do feel freer now, now that I've articulated and come to fully understand this whole chain of thoughts in my head." He smiled at her, a smile of both affection and gratitude. "Thanks, Tawny."

Tawny gave Louis a heartfelt embrace. "I love you just the way you choose to be, Louis," she whispered into his ear. Louis breathed heavily as he could feel his heart swelling with indescribable joy and linking up with hers in an unbreakable bond.


	4. Chapter 4: Talent Show

"I would like to dedicate this poem to my soulmate and best friend, Louis Stevens," Tawny announced into the microphone. Louis couldn't help but blush as he stood by the backstage curtain, the same spot he had occupied last year. He was glad he wasn't sitting in the audience, facing everyone's inquisitive stares. From where he stood, he had an uninhibited view of her, while no one else could spy on him and on his facial expressions as he listened to her. It was best this way, he figured.

Tawny's poem flowed as if straight from her heart. She was magnificent. It reminded Louis of the time she auditioned for SACCY, that brilliant and poignant recital she did. But this time, he knew that the emotions she was showing came straight out of real life, the emotions that she had for him and him only. It overwhelmed him to think that this amazing talent was dedicated to him and inspired by her love for him. Tawny always had this ability to make him feel special, but this was somehow the most forceful and by far the most public manner she had done it.

Louis breathed heavily as the emotions swept over him. He felt himself getting carried away with Tawny's words, his spirit being lifted onto the air and growing wings, ready to fly. It fluttered its wings and glided into the open sky, riding on the sweet melody emanating from her mouth. It flew over land and sea, the sunlight caressing it from above, before being guided gently back to the ground by her loving voice.

Tawny's performance was over. Louis didn't move as he slowly came back to his senses. He noticed that he had fallen onto one knee, both hands on the ground, as if he had just landed back on earth. Before he knew it, Tawny was standing in front of him, an affectionate smile on her face. Before he could move, she lowered herself onto one knee, her pose matching his, and took both of his hands in hers. Yet before she could say anything, Louis burst into tears and buried his head in her chest, letting go of his emotions. Tawny held him in her arms, caressing him, gently stroking his neck.

"Tawny, I–" Louis was frantically trying to say something, but his voice drowned in his tears.

"Shh." Tawny reassured him. "You don't have to."

"No, I…" Louis made an effort. "Now I have to, but I can't."

Tawny was still wondering what he meant by this when she turned her head to catch the MC's voice announce the next name on the program: "Louis Stevens."

She turned back to face Louis, a shocked expression on her face. "Louis, what…" she was at a loss for words. "Since when were you on the program?!" she finally whispered.

Louis had calmed down somewhat. No longer crying or struggling for breath, he responded, solemnly: "It was supposed to be a surprise, Tawny. For you. But now I can't. Look at me, I'm an emotional wreck right now." He looked down at the ground.

Tawny placed her hands on Louis's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes, forcing him to look into hers. "Louis," she said firmly, her voice containing that wondrous mixture of gentleness and forcefulness that he had come to know from her. "You can do this. I believe in you. I'll be right there next to you, holding your hand. Not physically, but…in spirit." She gave him an encouraging look as the look on his face told her he understood. In spirit. "Now you go up there and just be yourself," Tawny told him with a meaningful smile as she helped him to his feet.

Louis felt odd sensation as he stood on both feet again. He let his feet guide him slowly onto the stage and toward the microphone, where he stopped and stood still for a few seconds. He then recalled Tawny's words and glanced back at her, as she stood where he had been previously standing. He looked deeply into her eyes, as if looking for something, then snapped back, as if he had just found it. He had an uncanny _déjà-vu_ feeling as he felt his spirit being lifted from the ground and onto the air. He thought he could hear Tawny's gentle voice, asking him: Ready to fly, Louis? He nodded. He opened his mouth and the words began to flow out, straight from his heart, as his spirit fluttered its wings and took off. It glided into the glorious blue sky, with the heavens above and the seas below. He then felt the tip of its wing gently meeting another, as he thought he could hear Tawny's magical laughter echoing across the sky. They flew together, hand in hand, and could see the light shining out of the heavens. It was then that the final verses told him that it was time to return. They made the gradual descent back to earth, never losing each other along the way as his poem came to a close.

Louis regained his senses as he realized his performance was over. He felt the urge to collapse onto the ground, just like the first time, until he suddenly thought he could feel Tawny's firm grip guiding him gently, step by step, off the stage. He just followed, looking down at his feet the whole time, until he realized she was now standing right there in front of him. She had an expression on her face that he had never seen before, a mixture of the purest elements of affection, awe, and happiness.

"Tawny," Louis whispered.

"Louis," Tawny said softly. "I had this feeling… It was like I could see the light shining out of the heavens."

It was then that Louis realized where he was, where he had just been, what he had just experienced. And as the realization kicked in, the emotions poured out, the tears streaming down his cheeks one more time. He fell onto his knees and looked up at Tawny, at the soul that had guided him twice into the sky and toward the heavens. Tawny lowered herself onto both knees and held him tightly. The two lovers just stayed there in that pose, locked in embrace, not feeling the pain on their knees one bit.


End file.
